A distributed antenna system (DAS) can include one or more head-end units and multiple remote units coupled to each head-end unit. A DAS can be used to extend wireless coverage in an area. Head-end units can be connected to one or more base stations of a radio access network (RAN). Each base station can be part of a separate node of the RAN. A head-end unit can receive downlink signals from the base station and distribute downlink signals in analog or digital format to one or more remote units. The remote units can transmit the downlink signals to user equipment devices within coverage areas serviced by the remote units. In the uplink direction, signals from user equipment devices may be received by the remote units. The remote units can transmit the uplink signals received from user equipment devices to a head-end unit. The head-end unit can transmit uplink signals to the serving base stations. The DAS may thus provide coverage extension for communication signals from the RAN nodes.
The RAN and DAS may be separately managed and optimized via respective operations and management self-optimizing network (SON) units. A DAS SON unit, for example, can use parameters and counters specific to the DAS. The DAS SON unit can be fully separated from the RAN equipment. The result of a separate DAS SON unit from RAN equipment is that any modification to the configuration of the RAN nodes can have an unexpected impact on the operation of the DAS. Similarly, any modification to the configuration of the DAS can have an unexpected impact on the RAN nodes. RAN and DAS system optimization cannot be jointly performed on DAS and RAN nodes with a DAS SON unit separated from the RAN nodes.